Voting doesn't preclude direct action, and one of those options is still way worse than the other.

Just make sure to show up for the primaries too, and do more than voting.

We saw what happened when people didn't give enough of a shit to vote - you get Nazis in government and a supreme court fucked for generations.

People need to stop acting like electoral politics has no place, because not playing the game means all the rules are set against you going forward and they tell you to get fucked even harder than they would normally.

We've got a couple options change what we can, give up and revolution... two of those options are viable for me. ATM the best thing I can really do is talk with coworkers/acquaintances about their concerns in the world and how we can address them. The more I talk with maga folk about their concerns the more common ground I find with them... we all want a better life for our children/community we just get caught up in how to get there. Listen to concerns, find the common ground and come prepared with receipts... I cant say I've changed anyones mind but I will say the die hard liberal/left wing hating coworkers no longer have the direct hate and can see what folk like me are getting at... All this to say don't give up friend we can still do a lot at the community level, the institutional level will come with time.